I remember how difficult it was to get ahold of articles to read when I was growing up. Newspapers and magazines had to be paid for, and there wasn't a huge variety to choose from. So I wasn't too discriminating in my choice of articles - I'd read pretty much anything I came across. And when I came across a really worthwhile article, I would fall upon it like a traveller in the desert chancing upon an oasis of refreshing water.

But those days are long gone. I now have access to the internet, where I can find articles on a dazzling array of articles ranging from the commercial history of pink dye to the distribution of lagomorphs in West Africa. It also means that I now have a different kind of problem. Instead of having to deal with a dearth of articles, I now have to deal with a deluge. This is because unfortunately for me, whoever developed the internet also forgot to develop the means of artificially adding extra time to one's life - and this means that I still have the same 24 hours a day that I had growing up to process all this torrent of information.

So to deal with this article overload, I've had to devise the following set of criteria to help me determine whether an article is worth reading or not:

1. The article must be about an issue that I know little or nothing about. I'm passionate about expanding my horizons and adding to my store of knowledge, so it's a waste of my time for me to read an article on a topic that is already familiar to me. I would much rather read about something I have not had the opportunity to study in the past. I have a special bias for innovative and creative ideas that can help people live happier, more independent lives; I'm also keen on articles that help to predict what the future will be like for us in the long term.

However, the novelty of the article topic by itself is not enough. I'm interested in seeing the author support the points in his article with intelligent arguments and evidence. I might be interested in reading an article in which someone propounded a theory on how beards were repositories of psychic energy, but I would hurl it with great force away from me if I realised that the author was merely spouting a personal opinion that was unsupported by any evidence.

2. The article must be about an issue that is relevant to the medium to long term future. There are many issues that may be big news today but which become irrelevant tomorrow - like celebrity gossip or road accidents.Then there are others which continue to maintain relevance for months or even years, like announcements in economic policy or shifts in political allegiances. It's too wearying to have to follow these short lived issues, especially when the knowledge I gain is wasted when the issues are no longer relevant; it's much more productive for me to invest my time in following the issues that are going to be current for a long time, especially if those issues might affect me in some way.

3. Even if the article is about an issue I already know, it should deepen my knowledge of that issue. I certainly don't believe that I know everything about every issue - so I welcome any additional  information I could obtain. Such information could could change my perception of the issue. It could enable me to 'join the dots' and see how the issue is related to other apparently unrelated issues. Or it could enable me to predict how the issue might develop in the future.

This means that I'd be looking for the article to have information on the background to the issue, or the key players who stood to lose or gain as the issue developed. The article could also describe possible future scenarios, along with the likelihood of these scenarios developing and why they are likely or unlikely to develop. I would even be happy to read an article with an opinion that ran counter to conventional wisdom, as long as it was backed up with reasoned argument and evidence.

4. The article must be written with clarity and must be easy to understand. Up till now, I've talked about what the article should contain - but how the article is written is just as important. So I favour articles that use simple, short sentences and avoid the excessive and unnecessary use of long words and tortured syntax. I like articles that have a logical narrative - they read like a story with a meaningful beginning, middle and end so that they are easy to follow. In such a narrative, the article doesn't assume that the reader is familiar with every name, place or event mentioned - instead, it gives introductions and references, no matter how brief, at the appropriate places.

Then I also like articles don't cloak themselves in theoretical abstraction but instead use anecdotes and real-life examples to illustrate what they are explaining and make their points vivid to the reader. And lastly, I like articles that use wit and humour to deliver their payload of information safely and effectively to their target audience.

It's very important to note that it doesn't matter whether I disagree with the content of the article or not when I am trying to decide whether I should read it or not. I'm aware that there's a battle being fought amongst competing ideas for hearts and minds, and the deluge of information is a symptom of this battle. So it is vital for me to continue to expose myself to intelligently argued alternative points of view to prevent myself from falling captive to inaccurate ideas. I know that the battle isn't going to let up any time soon, either - so I'm sure I'll be using my filtering mechanism for a long time yet.

Robot  Villager

# 1 The advent of the internet has led to an explosion in the availability of articles on a variety o...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 27.01.2008 05:56

Rastafida  Villager

# 2 Would the above-mentioned factors also play a role in deciding which article to publish or not to publish? Just curious. Posted by Rastafida| 27.01.2008 07:19

Enforcer  Villager

# 3 =Rastafida;4294984016>Would the above-mentioned factors also play a role in deciding which article to publish or not to publish? Just curious. Rastafida I think it is wrong (or mischievous?) to interpret the article in the way you have done. How would you write an article on a subject that Shoko knows nothing about, or that will deepen his knowledge, without the help of a crystal ball? I see the article as a very useful guide to all aspiring authors. Posted by Enforcer| 27.01.2008 12:22

Shoko Loko Bangoshe  Villager

# 4 Rastafida, Good question - but the answer is no. As of now, the only guidelines I use are at this link: http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/write-for-us-3.html Having said that, it would be interesting to hear what kinds of articles other people do like. Perhaps this would also help aspiring authors. :) Posted by Shoko Loko Bangoshe| 27.01.2008 13:39

Rastafida  Villager

# 5 =Enforcer;4294984052>Rastafida I think it is wrong (or mischievous?) to interpret the article in the way you have done. I do not endorse your attempt to impute mischief to the question I posed to Shoko. And, anyway, I am happy that the writer was merely outlining the qualities he would like to see being exhibited by an article before he considers it worthy of perusal. Thanks Shoks for making the distinction clear. Posted by Rastafida| 27.01.2008 18:32

Enforcer  Villager

# 6 =Rastafida;4294984146>I do not endorse your attempt to impute mischief to the question I posed to Shoko. And, anyway, I am happy that the writer was merely outlining the qualities he would like to see being exhibited by an article before he considers it worthy of perusal. Thanks Shoks for making the distinction clear. Rastafida I am pleased if no mischief was intended. Mischief came to my mind because the article was very precise and could not have been mistaken as anything other than Shoko personal view. I think I was irritated by what I thought was a deliberate attempt to divert attention from an issue I was eagerly waiting to read about. It will be nice to read your view on the points raised in the article. Posted by Enforcer| 28.01.2008 09:36

Sapele Man  Villager

# 7 =Enforcer;4294984216>Rastafida I am pleased if no mischief was intended. Mischief came to my mind because the article was very precise and could not have been mistaken as anything other than Shoko personal view. I think I was irritated by what I thought was a deliberate attempt to divert attention from an issue I was eagerly waiting to read about. It will be nice to read your view on the points raised in the article. Enforcer Come nearer; let me tell you one secret. Please don't say you heard it from me, alright? Rastafida has nothing important to tell you about the message in the article. if he has he would have said it first time round instead of the michievous question or was it clarification? You promise you wouldn't tell anyone that I told you, would you? Posted by Sapele Man| 28.01.2008 15:48

Rastafida  Villager

# 8 =Sapele Man;4294984278>Enforcer Come nearer; let me tell you one secret. Please don't say you heard it from me, alright? Rastafida has nothing important to tell you about the message in the article. if he has he would have said it first time round instead of the michievous question or was it clarification? You promise you wouldn't tell anyone that I told you, would you? Sapele Man is the real Fela Man in the house. Your comment reminds me of Fela's exhortations to his listeners in one of his hit numbers. How could you tell somebody a secret or disclose a confidential matter in a song that everybody is listening to, or on a portal of information? Pigs might fly! Posted by Rastafida| 28.01.2008 17:00

EezeeBee  Villager

# 9 Excellent, succinct and much in alignment with my criteria for reading as well, especially because at any given time, I'm spreading my reading over at least 5 materials: One 'trashy novel' :), one entertainment magazine (top gear, f1 racing), one professional text, one 'serious' book (could be a biography or 'self improvement' book and one professional journal/publication. I have fun jumping between themes and reading moods. Posted by EezeeBee| 30.01.2008 14:01